Photo Source: https://soundcloud.com/frankkole
The 2010s was a unique time for self-starting, up-and-coming, and relatively unknown rappers. It gave birth to a collective within the larger rap culture that came to be categorized as “SoundCloud rappers,” from Lil Uzi Vert to XXXTENTACION, Ski Mask the Slump God, Juice WRLD, and beyond.
The platform SoundCloud became a safe haven for young creators who delivered musical messages in unconventional ways, built around loud, thumping, flute-heavy beats and aggressive, often violent lyrics. This era felt like the rap industry’s version of emo or grunge.
An artist who got lost in the shuffle
Among the big names to come out of this era, one artist in particular often gets lost in the shuffle: Frank Childress, otherwise known as Comethazine.
Growing up in East St. Louis, Childress stated during a November 2017 Mass Appeal interview segment titled Open Space that he began developing his rapping craft out of boredom. It also helped that his mother was not a fan of rap music.
In his rebellious nature at the time, he decided to pursue it partly to irritate her, as she wanted him to pursue a law degree. Education, however, was never an avenue for Childress, as he once stated, “I couldn’t even get a C.”
He eventually dropped out of high school after being forced to repeat the ninth grade and was on the verge of being kicked out of his mother’s home. He agreed to attend night classes to stay afloat.
The early tools and the early influences
In an April 2018 XXL article written by Robby Seabrook III, Comethazine explained how acquiring a MacBook and later buying a microphone planted the seeds of his rap career.
“A microphone was $200 and anybody could do the shit, so I was like, ‘fuck it,’” he said. Comethazine credited musical influences such as 50 Cent, Eminem, Chief Keef, Waka Flocka Flame, Lil JoJo, and, most interestingly, Rick James, among others.
The SoundCloud breakthrough, and the setback
The year 2016 would change the trajectory of his path to popularity. He released his debut project Aloe Vera while being pushed by a close friend known as Phillip, who encouraged Comethazine to keep releasing tracks and creating buzz around his name.
He broke through with his song “Hella Choppers,” released in October of the following year. His success on SoundCloud peaked before his artist page was unexpectedly shut down after claims that he was using instrumentals that were not cleared for use.
Without a platform to showcase his music, a YouTube page called Eleven gave him the opportunity to post his videos as a form of promotion. On the Eleven page, he released the song “Might Cop,” which finally caught the attention of music executives.
Over time, he eventually regained access to his SoundCloud profile, but tragedy soon struck. His best friend and musical partner, Phillip, was shot while they were both in a car together.
This single event caused Comethazine to want to leave music altogether, leading him to take on regular jobs to make ends meet.
Signing, momentum, and label conflict
One day, while working in the automotive industry, he received a call from a record label and decided to quit his job on the spot, signing with Alamo Records in 2017.
In 2018, he released his widely popular song and music video “Walk,” directed by prominent hip-hop music video director Cole Bennett. After releasing a slew of projects between 2019 and 2021, conflicts with Alamo Records slowed his momentum.
He briefly dipped his feet into the world of gaming and animation before stepping away from rap altogether. He released Bawskee 5 between 2023 and 2024, marking what would become his final statement of the rap era.
Frank Kole and the shift into calm
In more recent years, Comethazine has undergone a dramatic creative shift, rebranding himself as Frank Kole. Under this new persona, he presents himself as clean-cut and well-dressed, often seen in videos playing a variety of instruments.
His sound now inches closer to jazz, signaling both artistic growth and maturity. There is a noticeable sense of calm and intention in his movements, a stark contrast to the lean-drinking, gun-toting, rebellious SoundCloud rapper that defined his image in the 2010s.
Autumn Leaves and a different kind of presence
In one of his most popular recent videos, titled Autumn Leaves on YouTube, Frank Kole is shown seated in a chair, smoothly playing the trumpet while accompanied by a pianist.
The video carries an elegant, intimate vibe, reminiscent of a local jazz bar in a city like New York. It suggests an untapped musical genius that may have long existed beneath the surface.
Feels of Rhien and Smokestack Lightning
On his YouTube channel under the name Franzkole, he released a visualizer titled Feels of Rhien on January 2 of this year, further leaning into a classical jazz sound.
While the catalog under this new identity remains limited, the creative direction is clear. In 2024, Frank Kole also released a track titled Smokestack Lightning, which currently stands as the only song under his new artist name available on streaming platforms.
Rebellion refined, not erased
It is striking to witness the contrast between the artist Comethazine once was and the musician Frank Kole is becoming. What once manifested as raw aggression, rebellion, and chaos has evolved into restraint, patience, and technical precision.
Yet at its core, the same creative spirit remains. The hunger to express, to provoke feeling, and to carve out space in music on his own terms never disappeared; it simply matured.
The loud distortion of the SoundCloud era has given way to subtle melodies and controlled emotion, but both versions stem from the same place of honesty and self-exploration. In many ways, Frank Kole feels like the natural continuation of Comethazine rather than a departure from him, an artist no longer fighting the world but finally at peace within it.
His journey from rebellion to refinement is not about abandoning his past, but refining it, turning the noise of his early years into something deliberate, expressive, and enduring.